EmpathyLinux
vs
ICQWindows
Empathy as a Linux alternative to ICQ
Updated
Our verdict
Empathy can serve as a replacement for ICQ for users who need basic instant‑messaging, voice calls and file transfers on Linux, but only if they are comfortable with a client that is no longer actively maintained. It works well for people who already run GNOME and want a single window for multiple networks. Those who rely on the official ICQ network, advanced group‑chat features, or need guaranteed future updates should look at actively maintained alternatives.
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- —
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- real‑time text chat
- voice call capability
- file transfer support
- contact list management
- presence status and desktop notifications
What is different
- Empathy’s ICQ support is provided via the Telepathy‑ICQ plugin, which may be incomplete or unstable
- No dedicated group‑chat UI; group conversations are limited
- Project is discontinued, so security updates and bug fixes are no longer provided
- Lacks built‑in offline message storage for ICQ-specific features
Opening your ICQ files
There is no documented way to import or export ICQ-specific data files (such as contact lists or chat logs) directly into Empathy. You would need to manually recreate contacts and rely on Empathy’s own log format for any history you wish to keep.
Switching from ICQ to Empathy, step by step
- Install Empathy from your distribution’s repository (e.g., sudo apt install empathy).
- Open Empathy and add an ICQ account using the Telepathy‑ICQ plugin.
- Enter your ICQ credentials and allow the client to sync contacts.
- Verify that text, voice and file‑transfer functions work with a test contact.
- Manually recreate any missing group chats or contact groups.
- Export Empathy logs if you need to keep a local record of conversations.
Key features of Empathy
- Multi‑protocol support via Telepathy
- Text, voice and video chat
- File transfer
- Unified contact list
- Presence status
- Desktop notifications
- Integration with GNOME Shell
Frequently asked questions
Can Empathy connect to the official ICQ network?
Yes, via the Telepathy‑ICQ plugin, but the support is not as polished as the native ICQ client and may miss some features.
Is Empathy still receiving security updates?
No, the project is discontinued; you will only get updates that your distribution chooses to backport.
What should I use if I need reliable group chat on ICQ?
Consider a currently maintained multi‑protocol client like Pidgin or an ICQ‑specific client that is still updated.
